Chapter 38
“He’s big for his age,” Jace said as he looked at his son, who is now sleeping soundly. After he bathed him, Ace requested him to stay in his room with Emerald until he fell asleep. He looked at his wife because she didn’t say anything and found her looking at their son as well. “Emerald,” He called her, making her avert her attention to him. “Let’s talk.”
“What for?” Emerald asked emotionless.
“Let’s talk outside,” Jace said before looking at Ace. He didn’t want their son to hear them just in case Emerald would start to say words that were not good for the boy to hear. He wants to prevent Ace from hearing them fighting or arguing. They left the room and returned to the living room to meet Daryl, who had just come out of the kitchen.
“I’ll go to my room now, M.” Emerald nodded, smiling, and her friend started walking up the stairs, leaving the two alone.
“Emerald,” Jace started as they sat opposite the couch. He wanted to sit beside her, but he stopped himself from doing so so he would be able to say everything he wanted to say and settle everything. “I know I hurt you in the past. But believe it or not, I love you.”
Young Morgan’s eyes flew to him immediately after hearing him. She chuckled and said, “I didn’t see or feel any love from you before.”
“I know, but that’s the truth. It’s just that”
“Cut off the chase, Jace. Tell me what you want me to say and leave my house. Don’t beat around the bush because I will not believe any words coming out of your mouth.”
“Alright,” Jace replied, “Since you were like that and didn’t want to listen to me, I want Ace to live with me.”
“What!” Emerald exclaimed. “Are you crazy?”
“If you want to live with us, it’s fine with me too.”
“There’s no way I will let my son live in your house. What for? So that when you get married and have your children, you will throw him away as if nothing?”
“What are you thinking? How can you say that? Why are you thinking the worst of me?”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Because you’re the worst! No, I am not going to let my son live with you and be mistreated by your woman and her child.”
“I am married to you; how will I find another woman?”
“For now, sign the papers, and we’re not.”
“Are you going to insist on that divorce?”
“I didn’t give you a hard time when you asked me for it,” Emerald replied angrily, thinking Jace was making things difficult for her. “I signed it right after you used and disregarded me. I don’t see any reason for you not to do the same.”
“Look, that’s why I am asking for your forgiveness and trying to start anew…” Jace said in a low voice after Emerald made him remember what he did to her.
“Are you expecting me to just forgive and forget? I asked you, Jace. What have I done to deserve what you had done to me? I was confused then, always asking myself, am I not good enough? Am I unattractive and unworthy of being loved by anyone that even my own husband, who chose to marry me, couldn’t give me the love and affection that I want to experience?”
“I know, I know, Emerald. And I regretted every single thing that I had done to you. Every time I hurt you, I was suffering. Yes, I did what I did because of my brother, and I know it’s unforgivable. But even if it was like that, I was hurting too. But I want to make it up to you and our son. Please, let me be a father to Ace and a husband to you.”
Emerald was quiet; she wanted to believe Jace and start anew with him just like he wanted. But thinking about her suffering, how painful it was seeing him with another woman, showing her how worthless and unimportant she was to him. At the same time, he fucked another woman in front of her on her birthday. She remembered how he threw her out of his house after they got intimate on their wedding anniversary and crumbled on the hope that just rose up in her after thinking he had realized she was worthy of his love.
“Are you done?” Emerald asked, “If you are, you can leave.”
“Emerald, please..”
“You said you wanted to talk, so I let you talk, and I listened. You’re not going to get my son away from me. I am going to fight for Ace and will not give him to you just like that. Now, leave if you have nothing to say.”
“Is this because of that bastard?” Jace asked angrily. He thought Emerald wanted to marry Liam, so she didn’t want to make things work for them. Knowing Ace also liked the man, he felt jealous even though he already knew how much their son loved him.
“I don’t know whose bastard you are talking about; as I already told you, you’re the only bastard I know.”
“Shit Emerald! You know who I am talking about, and I will not let you two be together. I will do everything in my power to destroy him. Do you hear that? If I need to plant evidence against him so he would lose his job, I’ll do it.”
“Jace!” Emerald shouted. She didn’t like the idea that her husband just said. “Don’t you dare threaten me”
“I am not threatening you. In the past, I loved you, and no matter how painful it was for me, I still hurt you. What do you think I can’t do to the man who doesn’t matter to me to stop him from taking you and my son away from me?” Jace said, stopping her from saying another word. Emerald was so angry that she got up.
“You’re despicable!”
“Yes, I am!” Jace said and got up from his seat as well. Emerald was glaring at him, and he knew that she was as mad as hell with him, but he didn’t care. “And I don’t care what you think of me as long as you know you are mine and we’re still married!”
“We’re not married, Jace. We’re far from married! Think whatever you want to think, but I will never take you back either.”
Jace approached, pulled her closer, and said, “I know you, Emerald. And I know that you still feel something for me. I will start from there and try my best so you can fully accept me. Now, whether you like it or not, if you don’t want me to destroy that bastard, I am going to take Ace and live with me. Come if you want to be with our son because, just like you, I am going to do everything to get custody. Remember, I don’t have any woman in my life after you left; I can be a good model to our son, unlike you, who had an immoral affair with your friend.”
Emerald couldn’t say anything because she knew that Jace found out what had happened to her and Liam. Young Higginson started walking to the door but remembered something, so he stopped, “Oh, before I forget,” he said, making young Morgan look at him, and without warning, he claimed her mouth.
The kiss turned out deep and long because, as always, Emerald responded. They were gasping for air when they stopped. “Goodnight, dear wife,” Jace said before he continued walking out of her house while young Morgan stood still and couldn’t utter a word.